More Cool Stuff for Phannie

At home near Fort Worth...

Among the things I find most interesting in reading other RV bloggers is their "show and tell' posts. I have stolen so many ideas from RV bloggers that I really should be incarcerated. I think I purloined the greatest number of ideas from Mui and Erin at Two to Travel's Phaeton Journeys (now on hiatus for the summer). Mui is sickeningly handy at most everything he does, and I really don't think I would like him because of this if he weren't so, well, likeable. Many of the upgrades to Phannie that we had done in Red Bay last fall were shamelessly duplicated from the detailed descriptions and photos in their blog.  

We've added a few more things in recent weeks, most of which can also be attributed to ideas we gleaned from others.  For example, we have had a portable stand-alone icemaker for many years, thanks to Gordon at See the USA in Your Chevrolet, who gave us the idea.  Not long ago, we acquired a high-tech Breville oven, as recommended by Terry and Nick of Gypsy Journal. Here are photos of the ice maker and oven:

Even though our refrigerator has an ice maker, Sandy and I are insufferable ice hogs; the ice maker in the fridge can't possibly keep up. Sandy loves her iced tea, and she always has in hand a glass completely full of ice cubes with some tea occupying whatever space is not used by the ice cubes. (It's the southern way, she says.) Our portable ice maker fills the gap nicely, and it's one of those things we would not want to be without. 

We bought the somewhat pricey Breville oven because of Terry Russell's raves about it.  And now we see why she was so enthusiastic. This little oven cooks and toasts via direct heat and by convection, and it does a superb job of cooking evenly--much more so than Phannie's Panasonic version that is notorious for its uneven cooking.  We are really impressed by the quality of this device and the accuracy and simplicity of its operation.  

Sandy often complained about the faucet in Phannie's kitchen sink. It did not allow enough room to fill pots with water or to wash large items carefully in the sink. Since these are things this humble writer would rather not be caught dead doing, I deemed it highly appropriate that I should replace it with something more to her liking.  Home Depot had just the thing:

This faucet was a little pricey (bring a $100 bill and a fifty with you), but it was well worth it to keep me from having dishpan hands, don't you think?  She loves it, and that's really all that matters. (No, I didn't install it; I would have felt guilty charging Sandy for my labor.)

I had also been looking for some time at several small propane grill models, wishing to acquire one to go along with my

Traeger Personal Smoker Grill

Traeger smoker (another fine cooking machine), and I finally settled on the Weber Q, simply because it seems to be far and away the most popular among RVers.  Now I know why; it's a gem.  It is simple and sturdy yet lightweight, and it cooks great and is easy to clean.  I really like it a lot:

Well, there you have it--all my latest toys. I hope you find something useful in all this nonsense. I'm sure others have some even better ideas, but this stuff sure works for us.

We are heading back to Rayford Crossing in Spring, Texas this weekend to play with the grandkids for a month or so. Holler if you're in the area.
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